In an ideal world, we would all eat fresh ingredients from local farmers. Unfortunately, with the long to-do lists and demanding work schedules, shopping, cooking, and eating local can be unrealistic. There are only so many hours in a day, and getting food on the table can be a challenge in itself.
Joy Rubey, a Denver mom, wanted to get seasonal local food on her family’s table, but she battled with the same problems.
“My mom was a simple cook: we ate protein and two veggies for dinner almost every night. At the time, this felt extremely boring,” Rubey recalls. “Now that I’m a mom, I understand the challenge of feeding my family after working all day, decision fatigue, meal planning, sports, shopping, etc.”
Seeing the need in the community, Rubey founded Spade & Spoon, a meal delivery service that works with local farmers, ranchers, and bakers to easily bring healthy, local food to the community.
Farm to Table
The mass production of dairy, meat, and produce has changed the food system. In order for shelves to be stocked at Safeway, King Soopers, and other grocery chains, large-scale farming was adopted and changed the ethics around food production.
“I knew way too many people my age battling cancer, and I wanted reassurance that the food I was feeding my daughter wasn’t filled with chemicals, antibiotics, hormones, colors, preservatives, etc,” Rubey says. “We care how food is produced, how people and animals are treated, and the impact we will have on our planet now and in the future.”
The family-owned business is taking steps to change the food system by bridging the gap between local farmers and the community.
“We work with the producers that have organic standards that maintain sustainability and regenerative practices,” Rubey says. “We believe that if we can make life easier for both eaters and local producers, we can begin fixing our broken food system.”
When the Seed Sprouted
Rubey’s husband, Dustin, took a leap of faith, found a piece of land to lease, and started Acme Farms + Kitchen. With marketing, customer service, distribution, and social media, the couple soon realized how hard it is for local farmers and makers to reach the community. This was when the Spade & Spoon seed was planted.
“I just wanted great food and recipes delivered to my doorstep,” Rubey says. “Once I made the connection that local meal kits could solve both of our issues, I made the jump and started a side hustle. We quickly realized that getting good food on the table is a pain point for so many families, and the business took off.”
Harvest to Home
The delivery service is in Boulder, Fort Collins, Denver, and the larger Front Range areas and offers classic and vegetarian meals. For Spade & Spoon to provide naturally-grown ingredients and ethically made products, the company has partnered with businesses like Altius Farms, Bjorn’s Colorado Honey, Jojo’s Sriracha, Origin Milk, and Yummy Lotus.
“When looking for new producers, we find people that align with our values and that grow or produce delicious food,” Rubey says.
Spade & Spoon aims to simplify shopping, cooking, and eating local foods by delivering Denver meal ingredients and chef-designed seasonal recipes straight to your home.
